Posts in Category: Pet Health & Wellness

Adopting a kitten or puppy is an incredibly rewarding experience, but comes with considerable responsibility. Besides getting to know the unique personality of your new furry addition, and integrating him or her into your lifestyle, you’ll need to have all the facets of pet care covered. From nutrition to training, surgery to socialization, we’re here to help you get started. Continue…

Take this short quiz and you may be surprised by the results. Of the following situations, which could prove dangerous for your pets? (Assume drinking water is freely available at all times.)

• Staying in the car for 20 minutes, in the shade, with the windows rolled half-way down
• Playing Frisbee on the beach for half an hour
• Running in the park for 25 minutes on a cloudy, but warm and humid, day
• Sleeping in the backyard with no shade
• Taking a long, leisurely walk through the city on a hot day

Continue…

For pet lovers who are aware of the overwhelming number of stray and homeless pets in the country, it is understandable why we are often the ones whose homes are full of fur companions. Multiple pet households are common, in fact, as more than 50% of all cat and dog owners share their homes with more than one pet. With all of the love in the air, you’d think a multi-pet home would be an ideal situation, right? Continue…

Let’s face it, nobody likes ticks. The very thought of them often causes a grimace, and every spring and summer brings those tiny goblins into the thick underbrush, long greasses, and trees, where they wait for a warm-blooded animal to stroll by. Like you or your dog… Continue…

In the middle of the night, you abruptly wake up to the sounds of your pet in painful agony. He or she might be sick, injured, or both, and you may react in a panic. You aren’t alone in wondering what to do next, but to avoid that cold sweat (and a terrible outcome for your pet), we suggest brushing up on the basics of pet first aid. Continue…

Chances are when you go to see your physician, basic baseline information gathering, such as blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and weight, are a part of your physical examination. This information can act as a baseline or your normal state of health, which in turn can alert your doctor to any changes. This same idea is applied when it comes to pet disease prevention and overall wellness.

At home, many pet owners also make note of their pets’ daily health status. Pet owners are often the first to notice subtle changes in appetite, behavior, and general energy level. This body of information, collectively, helps to form a baseline of health for pets which, when communicated with your pet’s veterinarian, can be useful in diagnosis. Continue…

There are so many myths and anecdotes about getting the family pet fixed that it can be challenging to find the real facts. Besides the most obvious bonus of not having a surprise litter of puppies or kittens on your hands, there are other stressors of having an unfixed animal that can be avoided by this simple surgery, too. The truth is that spaying and neutering can have many medical and behavioral benefits.

As a responsible pet owner you want to do all you can to help not only your own animal but the animal population as a whole. Since millions of homeless dogs and cats are killed in shelters across the country every year, spaying or neutering your pet prevents unwanted litters and reduces the homeless pet population; which is always a good thing.

If you’re on the fence about spaying or neutering your pet, here are a few proven reasons it can be a good idea. Continue…

Brushing your pet’s teeth is probably right up there with changing your car’s oil. You can do it, but you really don’t want to. Unfortunately, without consistent dental care your pet’s mouth can harbor bacteria and decay; which cannot only be painful, but even dangerous to overall health. Continue…

Possibly one of the most staggering statistics we’ve seen lately states that over half of all our nation’s cats and dogs. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, 54% of all American cats and dogs are considered overweight or obese. What does this mean for your pet?

There is a great deal you can do now if your pet is tipping the scale and, by actively participating in your pet’s optimal balance of nutrition and exercise, your pet may live longer and enjoy a higher quality of life. Continue…

Winter provides lots of delights for pets and their humans. For many senior pets, though, the colder months provide nothing more than extra pain, discomfort, or unhappiness. Age-related illnesses or diseases have symptoms that colder temperatures exacerbate, and senior pets can suffer from respiratory or cardiac conditions, malnutrition, or depression. Even here in Texas, where the winters tend to be mild, the shift in temperature can affect senior pets, and shouldn’t be discounted.

Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital is here to eliminate any guess work you may have by addressing some of the specific concerns facing your senior pet. Continue…